Kool G Rap

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Kool G Rap
Performing in New York City, November 2004
Background information
Birth name	Nathaniel Wilson
Also known as	G Rap, Your Favorite Rapper's Favorite Rapper
Born	July 20, 1968 (1968-07-20) (age 41)
Origin	Queens, New York City, United States
Genres	Mafioso Rap, Hip hop
Years active	1986–present
Labels	Cold Chillin', Rawkus, Chinga Chang, E1, Epic, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	DJ Polo, Juice Crew, Big Daddy Kane, Wu Tang Clan, Nas, Mobb Deep, Big L, Ice Cube, Canibus, Ras Kass, Jedi Mind Tricks

Nathaniel Wilson (born July 20, 1968^[1]), better known by his stage name Kool G Rap, is an American rapper from the Corona section of Queens, New York^[2]. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew. He is often cited as one of the most influential and skilled MCs of all time^{[3][4][5][6][1][7][8][9][10]} as he is a pioneer and master of Mafioso Rap/street/hardcore content^{[5][10][11][12][13][14]} and multisyllabic rhyming^[15]. On his album The Giancana Story, he stated that the "G" in his name stands for "Giancana" (after the mobster Sam Giancana), but on other occasions he's stated that it stands for "Genius"^[1][16].

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early Years 1.2 Kool G Rap & DJ Polo 1.3 Solo career 2 Legacy 2.1 Rhyme technique 2.2 Mafioso/Street content 3 Discography 3.1 Featured appearances 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early Years

Wilson grew up in the poverty-ridden streets of Corona Queens, New York with legendary producer Eric B.^[17] In an interview with The Source he stated;

“	Growing up in Corona was like a little Harlem, it wasn't that hard for a nigga to be influenced by the street life type of mentality. I was like 15 years old, Ma dukes couldn't dress a nigga no more and at that age you want a little money in your pocket. That's what gets us all, material possessions. A nigga got caught up in that mentality. Nigga started selling drugs at a certain point, and all that shit, it's what was goin' on in the streets ... eventually all my friends got smoked. Everybody was droppin'. All my friends started packing burners everyday, we was wild shorties.	”
—Kool G Rap, The Source Magazine, issue 72, September, 1995.[18]

Around this time, Wilson was looking for a DJ, and through Eric B., he met DJ Polo, who was looking for an MC to colloberate with.^[17]

[edit] Kool G Rap & DJ Polo

Juice Crew producer, and Mr. Magic DJ; Marley Marl knew Polo, and allowed him and G Rap to go to his studio to do a demo, which resulted in the song "It's a Demo." The song was written and recorded in one night, and had Marley so impressed, that he instantly embraced Kool G Rap and DJ Polo as Juice Crew members (it's worth noting that this was the first time G Rap had ever met Marley.)^[19] In 1986 on Mr Magic's Rap Attack radio show on 107.5, the duo got their first exposure which created more buzz. They eventually released "It's a Demo" as a single with"I'm Fly", along with two more singles. Shortly after this, Kool G Rap appeared on the Juice Crew's classic posse cut 'The Symphony' before they released their debut album, Road to the Riches in 1989^[20][21]. This album and their two later albums, Wanted: Dead or Alive (1990) and Live and Let Die (1992), are highly regarded and considered Hip-Hop classics^{[22][12][15][23][24][25]}. Eventually in 1993, Kool G rap parted ways with DJ Polo in pursuit of a solo career.

[edit] Solo career

In 1995, G Rap started his solo career with the album 4,5,6, which featured production from Buckwild, and guest appearances from Nas and MF Grimm - it has been his most commercially successful record, reaching No.24 on the US Billboard 200 album chart^[26]. This was followed by Roots of Evil in 1998^[1]. He was then meant to release his next album, The Giancana Story in 2000, on Rawkus Records, but due to several complications with the label, the album was pushed back several times, and eventually released in 2002. In 2008 he released the EP Half A Klip on Chinga Chang Records, featuring production from Hip-Hop legends DJ Premier and Marley Marl^[27].

Criticisms of Kool G Rap's solo albums usually focus on the production not being up to the standard of the rapping^[28][29].

While Kool G Rap has always been popular and well respected in Hip-Hop circles for his lyrical skills^[11][15], he never crossed over and saw the same level of commercial success as rappers such as Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane, both also members of the Juice Crew^[30][31]. He is known for consistently making records which are hardcore, dark, intelligent, and underground^{[6][11][12][32]}.

[edit] Legacy

Kool G Rap is regarded as a hugely influential golden age rapper^[1]. Music journalist Peter Shapiro suggests that Kool G Rap "created the blueprint for Nas, Biggie and everyone who followed in their path"^[33]. Kool G Rap is described by Kool Moe Dee as "the progenitor and prototype for Biggie, Jay-Z, Treach, Nore, Fat Joe, Big Pun, and about twenty-five more hard-core emcees"^[3], and Kool Moe Dee also claims Kool G Rap is "the most lyrical" out of all of the artists mentioned^[34]. MTV describes Kool G Rap as a "hip-hop godfather", adding that he paved the way for a lot of MCs who we would not have heard of otherwise^[5]. Rolling Stone says, "G Rap excelled at the street narrative, a style that would come to define later Queens MCs like Nas (who was hugely influenced by G Rap on his early records) and Mobb Deep"^[10]. Other artists who have named Kool G Rap as a major influence include Black Thought of The Roots^[35], M.O.P.^[36], Scarface^[37], Raekwon^[38], R.A. The Rugged Man^[39], Bun B of UGK^[7], Rah Digga^[8], RZA^[9], Lady Of Rage^[40], Big Pun^[2], O.C. of DITC^[41], Twista^[42][43], Andre Nickatina, and Cage.

He is also often very highly rated in terms of his technical ability^{[5][6][7][8][9][34][44]} and is often ranked alongside other highly regarded golden age MCs, such as Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, and KRS-One^[11][15]. In Jay-Z's track 'Encore', Jay-Z raps, "hearing me rap is like hearing G Rap in his prime"^[45][46], comparing his skill level to that of Kool G Rap, and Allmusic calls him "one of the greatest rappers ever", "a master", and "a legend" ^[6][47]. A number of rappers put him in their Top 5 MCs lists^{[7][8][9][48]}, Kool Moe Dee ranks Kool G Rap at No.14 in his book There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs^[34], and MTV gives him an 'Honorable Mention' in their Greatest MCs Of All Time list^[5].

[edit] Rhyme technique

Kool G Rap is known for using complex multisyllabic rhymes since his debut (in a similar way to other golden age MCs such as Big Daddy Kane and Rakim)^[15], and this remains a hallmark of his style, along with his rapid-fire delivery and "superhuman breath control"^[15]. Although many of today's MCs use multisyllabic rhymes extensively (such as Eminem, Pharoahe Monch, Nas, Papoose, and many others), Kool G Rap is known for taking the technique to its limits and packing in as many multisyllabic rhymes as possible^[49][50], sometimes all in the same rhyme scheme for a whole verse, such as on Sway & King Tech's 'The Anthem'^[50].

He has also been cited as one of Hip-Hop's greatest storytellers, alongside Slick Rick and Notorious BIG^[51][52], with "laser-like visual descriptions"^[12], and "vivid narratives"^[15]. Rolling Stone states that, "Live and Let Die continued G Rap's reign as rap music's premier yarn-spinner"^[10].

[edit] Mafioso/Street content

Kool G Rap is often credited as the first rapper to include mafioso content, as well as a lot of hardcore street content, into his lyrics^{[5][10][11][12][13][14][15]}. This can be seen as early as 1989 in the song "Road to the Riches" where he makes a reference to Al Pacino (who plays mobster Tony Montana in the 1983 crime drama movie Scarface)^[53] - this was long before albums such as Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… (1995) made such references popular^[14].

Since his debut, he has used various references to mob movies in his lyrics, album covers, and titles^[1]. For example, the first line of 'Bad to the Bone' from Wanted: Dead or Alive (1990) is, I'm bad to the bone / with a style like Al Capone^[54], the album Live and Let Die (1992) uses samples from the film The Untouchables^[55], the album cover of Roots of Evil (1998) uses elements from the The Godfather and Scarface theatrical posters^[56], and The Giancana Story (2002) album title references Mafia boss Sam Giancana^[57].

Rolling Stone says, "before Kool G Rap, New York didn't really have the street rap that could hold its own against what artists such as L.A.'s Ice-T and N.W.A were churning out"^[10] and that "G Rap excelled at the street narrative"^[10].

His take on crime, violence, and the mafioso lifestyle ranges from remorse and contemplation (eg. 'Streets of New York'^[58], described by Rolling Stone as "a vivid look inside the misery of the hood"^[10]), to glorification (eg. 'Fast Life' featuring Nas^[59]).

[edit] Discography

With DJ Polo	Year
Road To The Riches	1989
Wanted: Dead or Alive	1990
Live and Let Die	1992
Solo Albums	Year
4,5,6	1995
Roots of Evil	1998
The Giancana Story	2002
Half a Klip	2007
Compilations	Year
Killer Kuts	1994
Rated XXX	1996
The Best of Cold Chillin'	2000
Greatest Hits	2002

Collaborative Albums	With	Year
Click of Respect	The 5 Family Click	2003
Legends Vol. 3 (digital album - Napster)	J-love Enterprise	2009

[edit] Featured appearances

• 1988: "The Symphony" (on the Marley Marl album In Control Volume 1)
• 1991: "Don't Curse" (from the Heavy D album Peaceful Journey")
• 1991: "The Symphony Vol. II" (on the Marley Marl album In Control Volume 2: For Your Steering Pleasure)
• 1992: "Death Threat" (from the Brand New Heavies album Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1)
• 1993 "You Must Be Out of Your Fuckin' Mind" (from the Fat Joe album Represent)
• 1993: "This Is How We..." (from the Pudgee Tha Phat Bastard album Give Em The Finger)
• 1996: "Representin'" (Ruffa featuring Kool G Rap)
• 1996: "Stick To Ya Gunz" (from the M.O.P. album Firing Squad)
• 1996: "Know Da Game" (from the Frankie Cutlass album Politics And Bullshit)
• 1998: "Truly Yours 98" (from the Pete Rock album Soul Survivor)
• 1998: "Guns Blazing (Drums of Death, Pt. 1)" (from the UNKLE album Psyence Fiction)
• 1998: "40 Island" (from the N.O.R.E. album N.O.R.E.)
• 1999: "Friend of Ours" (from the E-Moneybags album In E-Moneybags We Trust)
• 1999: "The Anthem" Also feat. RZA, Tech N9ne, Eminem, Xzibit, Pharoahe Monch, Jayo Felony, Chino XL & KRS-One and "3 to the Dome" also feat. Big Daddy Kane & Chino XL (from the Sway & King Tech album This or That
• 1999: "The Realest" (from the Mobb Deep album Murda Muzik)
• 2000: "Fall Back" (from the Big L album The Big Picture)
• 2000: "Ghetto afterlife" (from the Reflection Eternal album Train of thought)
• 2000: "Legendary Street Team" (from Lyricist Lounge 2)
• 2001: "Let 'Em Live" (from the Chino XL album I Told You So)
• 2001: "I Am" (from the G. Dep album Child of the Ghetto)
• 2001: "Gorillas" (from the Screwball album Loyalty)
• 2001: "No Surrender" (Shabaam Sahdeeq featuring Kool G Rap)
• 2002: "Allied Meta-Forces" (from the Canibus album Mic Club: The Curriculum)
• 2002: "Nuthin Has Changed" (from Lyricist Lounge: West Coast)
• 2003: "Animal Rap" (from the Jedi Mind Tricks album Visions of Gandhi)
• 2005: "Ghost & Giancana" (from the Ghostface Killah album Put It on the Line)
• 2006: "We Gone Go Hard" (from the Ras Kass album Revenge of the Spit)
• 2006: "Reckless Eye-Ballin" (from the VERBAL THREAT album The Golden Era)
• 2006: "Full Metal Jacket" (from the Molemen album Killing Fields)
• 2007: "Hood Tales" (from the Marco Polo album Port Authority)
• 2007: "100 Roundz" (from the Domingo album The Most Underrated)
• 2007: "Come one, come all" (from the Styles P album The Ghost Sessions)
• 2007: "Next Up" (from the UGK album Underground Kingz)
• 2007: "6 in the Morning" (from the Statik Selektah album Spell My Name Right: The Album)
• 2007: "Buck Buck" (on the Red Cafe and DJ Envy album The Co-Op)
• 2008: "The Next Step" (from the Big John album The Next Step featuring R.A The Rugged Man)
• 2009: "Das Leid / The Light" Azad featuring Kool G Rap (from Brisk Fingaz album Einzelkämpfer)
• 2009: "Gunz From Italy" (from the Club Dogo album Dogocrazia)
• 2009: "Ill Figures" (from the Wu-Tang Clan compilation album Wu-Tang Chamber Music)
• 2009: "Legendary" (from the 67 Mob album Raising The Bar)

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• Kool Moe Dee, 2003, There's A God On The Mic: The True 50 Greatest MCs, Thunder's Mouth Press.
• Brian Coleman, 2007, Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies, Villard, Random House.
• Peter Shapiro, 2005, The Rough Guide To Hip-Hop, 2nd Edition, Penguin.
• William Jelani Cobb, 2007, To The Break Of Dawn: A Freestyle On The Hip Hop Aesthetic, NYU Press.
• Mickey Hess, 2007, Icons Of Hip Hop, Greenwood Publishing Group.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kool G Rap

• Kool G Rap Myspace - Official Kool G Rap Myspace page
• Kool G Rap interview March 5th, 2008 - Kool G Rap interview with HipHopDX
• Kool G Rap interview November 12th, 2003 - Kool G Rap interview with HalfTimeOnline
• Kool G Rap interview 2003 - Kool G Rap interview with MVRemix
• Three Thug Mice Kool G Rap plays the voice of Brik the mouse in the Three Thug Mice cartoon